Gale Gordon — the longtime comedic foil to Lucille Ball — was born 115 years ago today.
Gordon played the cantankerously combustible, tightfisted bank executive, Theodore J. Mooney, on Ball's second television situation comedy, The Lucy Show. He also had starring roles in Ball's third series, Here's Lucy and her short-lived fourth series, Life with Lucy. Gordon was also a respected American radio actor.
The widely acknowledged master of the "slow-burn" temper explosion in character, Gordon was the first pick to play Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy, but he was committed to Our Miss Brooks and declined the offer in favor of William Frawley.
The somewhat portly Gordon was adept at physical comedy and could do a perfect cartwheel. He did this on The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy, and again as a guest on The Dean Martin Show.
Gordon died of lung cancer on June 30, 1995 at age 89.
Here, Gordon explains what it was like working with Lucille Ball